Surfing has successfully carved its way into the Zespri AIMS Games, with 61 groms putting on a show despite tricky conditions at Tay Street Beach in Mount Maunganui last week.

The Year 7 girls and boys inaugural Aims surfing event got under way on Monday last week, with Jade Nias Phillips from Ahipara School and Kash Baskerville from Belmont Intermediate winning the finals on Tuesday. Ōtamarākau School’s Pippi Adams was third in the girls’ competition.

The Year 8 competitions were won by Paige Burrows from Belmont Intermediate and Beau Broadhurst from Whakatāne Intermediate.

Pāpāmoa College was represented by Billy Dow, Stanley Lawton, Lachie Ferns, Mason Littlejohn, Nate Liddle, and Thomas Lineker while Blake Jukes, Cooper Cumming and Toren Ferguson flew the flag for Pongakawa School.

Jaxon Pardoe, who came second in the Year 8 boys, said having surfing at the Aims Games is “real sick”.

The 13-year-old from Gisborne has been getting pushed into waves by his dad since he was 5 and started taking surfing seriously when he was 10. Now Jaxon competes in Surfing New Zealand competitions around the country.

Stanley Lawton from Pāpāmoa College competing in the year 8 boys' competition. Photo / Jamie Troughton/Dscribe Media.

“You make heaps of friends and then you’re friends with them for the rest of your life. And it’s just real good. Love it.”

His Gisborne Intermediate schoolmate Archie Alder — who scored an incredible 14.16 in his first heat — said the event was “super fun”.

“It’s always good to see friends from around NZ and just hang out with everyone.

“It’s great to have this opportunity at Aims because last year we didn’t have any sports to come for, and it’s just great to be able to come and take part.”

Event organiser Andrew Fredrickson, from Mount Maunganui College, said there were surfers from as far north as Ahipara and as far south as Christchurch.

Pāpāmoa College's Billy Dow in the year 8 boys surfing competition. Photo / Jamie Troughton/Dscribe Media.

“Competitors have all had a great time. It’s been a good vibe. One of the highlights from an organisational point of view is we’ve had our Mount College students really step up and take ownership of the event,” he said.

The Mount College students have been the judges, the MCs, they’ve been recording the scores, updating the scoreboard, issuing rashies, beach marshalling, making announcements on the PA system, and running games for the kids.

“They’ve had treasure hunts, they’ve had quizzes, sandcastle building competitions, running races. You can see that the kids have been really into it.”

Fredrickson said there had been “awesome support from the parents” and he was looking forward to building on this year’s success for surfing at the 2025 Zespri Aims Games.

Results

Year 7 girls: 1, Jade Nias Phillips (Ahipara School), 2, Savannah Dawes (Mount Maunganui Intermediate), 3, Pippi Adams (Ōtamarākau School).

Year 7 boys: 1, Kash Baskerville (Belmont Intermediate), 2, Jack Kayes (Waihī College), 3, Dacey Woodyard (Tairua School).

Year 8 girls: 1, Paige Burrows (Belmont Intermediate), 2, Megan Luke (Whangamatā Area School), 3, Naida Belcher (Belmont Intermediate).

Year 8 boys: 1, Beau Broadhurst (Whakatāne Intermediate), 2, Jaxon Pardoe (Gisborne Intermediate), 3, Haru Marsden (Mount Maunganui Intermediate).

-Te Puke Times.